Harness check-rein



(No Model.)

J. FOWLBR,

HARNESS GHECK REINr No. 315,399. Patented Apr. 1, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FOWLER, OF BURLINGTON, IVVA.

HARNESS CHECK-REIN.

@enormer-trios: farming part of Letters Patent No. 315,399, dar-ea April 7,1885. y

Application sied october 13, 1884. (No model.) f i f f .To a/ZZ whom z5 may concern? Be it known that AI, JAMES FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements` in Harness CheckReins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or ligures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this,`

specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means by the aid of which aperson while seated in a vehicle can engage'the check-rein with the check-hook, and can also disengage it; and the invention consists, in its main feature, in a line or cord extending from the check-rein to within reach of the person in the vehicle, which line or cord carries a knot or ball adapted to coact with a check-hook of such construction that the person in the vehicle can readily and easily engage the ball on the auxiliary line therewith for securing the check-rein or disengage it therefrom for the purpose of releasing the check-rein.

The invention further consists in constructions and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, 'which illustrate one method of applying my invention, Figure l is a perspective showing the front part of a vehicle, a horse in harness, and my invention. Fig. 2 is a. side elevation of the harness-saddle and of myimprovemeut. I Fig. 3 is a rear elevation ofy the harness-saddle and of my improvement. Fig. 4 is a detail hereinafter referred to. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of my improved 'check-hook.

Referring to the drawings by letters,thesan1e letter indicating the same part in the different figures, Arepresents a horse in ordinary harness, and by said harness hitched or secured to the buggy or other vehicle, B.

C represents the ordinary drivinglreins, and

` -D a check-rein, which may be constructed of two parts, D', united by a ring, d, as shown; or it may be constructed in any known or desired manner orform. The check-rein D may, as shown, pass through the ordinary loops, e, one on each side of the horses head or neck; i

or it may be arrangedjn any manner, if preferred.

Gis an auxiliary line, cord, or strap,.ivhich maybe secured in any desired mannerto the rear central part of the check-rein Dfbut I1 A ward at its mid-length portion, as shown, and l thereby be out of the way of the driving-lines'` p and not in position to be caught beneath the horses tail in switching it.

H is a ball or stop of any suitable material,

and secured to the line G at such dist-ance from the forward ends of the check-rein as that when p i the stop is held by the checkrein hook I the check-rein will thereby be held in such posi-` tion as will rein up,774 or check up77 the horses head. The line G passes through a hole, h, in the stop H,and the stop H is held"` in a fixed position on the line G by means of a set-screw, h', which acts on aspring-plate, It,

which restsin the hole h., and is pressed against the line by the setscrew. By these means the ball may be adjusted 0n the strap or line, so that the horses head can be held at any height or checked without interfering with the checkrein buckles.

J is an ordinary. harness-saddle, and I is my improved check-rein hook or ALholder. 4The holder I is preferably formed atits lower end, t', and secured to the harness-saddle J in the same manner as are the ordinary check-rein hooks. t', through which the line G will pass, but not the stop H, and the upper end ot' this slot is enlarged to form a hole, i, through which the The rear side of the stop H. will also pass.

holder I has a concave portion. 11', in" which the stop H rests, as shown by full lines at Fig. 2, while holding the check-rein taut and the Above its base the holder I has a slot,

horses head checked up, this concave portion i being coincident with the slotted portion of the holder.

When it is desired to free the checlcrein, the driver can do so by pulling on the line G, and at the same time slightly elevating it, so that the stop H will pass up the rear side of the slotted part of the holder until it reaches the hole i', through which it will pass forwardly, as shown by dotted lines at Fig. 2, and thus free the checlerein.

When it is desired to again check up the horses head, the driver can do so by pulling on the line G, when the stop H will slide up the forward convex side, im', of the holder I Vuntil it reaches the hole t, through which it will pass rearwardly, when the driver, by lowering his hand and the line G, can again drop the stop VH into the position shown by full lines at Fig. 2.

It will be readily seen that by means of this device the vdriver while in the vehicle may both secure and release the check-rein for any of the numerous purposes not necessary to enumerate herein.

What I claim as new is- 1. In combination with a harness check-rein and an auxiliary rein secured thereto, provided with an adjustable stop or ball, and extending to within reach of the driver within the vehicle to which the draft-animal is harnessed, of a check-rein hook or holder having curved sides, substantially as described, adapted to operate with said auxiliary rein and stop, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A harness check-rein hook constructed, substantially as described, with a contracted slot in its lower portion, a concave rear side, and convex front side, 02, in combination with the checlrrein D and auxiliary line G, provided with a ball or stop, H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A harness check-rein hook constructed, substantially as described, with a contracted slot in its lower portion and an enlarged hole in its upper portion, and a concave rear side and convex front side.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J AMES FOWLER.

IVitnesses:

WM. A. TORREY, MARTIN MOEHN. 

